09304 - Applied Hygiene

Learning outcomes

At the end of the course, students will have acquired basic knowledge of epidemiology, epidemiological methodology, public health, and the principles and methods of prevention.

In particular, students will be able to:

• apply basic epidemiological concepts and measures to the assessment of health and disease in populations;
• identify the main biological, social and environmental determinants of health and their contribution to health inequalities and vulnerability;
• understand the relationships between environmental change, climate change and human health within One Health and Planetary Health frameworks;
• recognise the role of cumulative exposures, life-course trajectories, nutrition and epigenetic mechanisms in shaping health outcomes;
• describe the main routes of transmission of communicable diseases and the principles of individual and population-based prophylaxis and prevention;
• identify major chemical and biological hazards associated with environmental and food exposure;
• understand the basic principles of risk assessment, risk management and risk communication;
• critically interpret the main public health implications of environmental and food-related exposures.

Course contents

The course addresses the main topics of hygiene, applied epidemiology and public health, with reference to the two curricula, “Biomedical” and “Nutritional”, integrated into a single learning pathway. Teaching is organised into thematic modules covering the following topics:

1. Public health, prevention and epidemiological methods

• Functions and areas of public health
• Basic concepts of hygiene and prevention
• Descriptive epidemiology: incidence, prevalence, mortality and risk
• Main approaches in epidemiological methodology
• Risk analysis: identification, assessment, management and communication

2. Determinants of health, vulnerability and inequalities

• Biological, social and environmental determinants of health
• Vulnerability, health inequalities and global health
• Interactions among physical, biological and social domains
• One Health and the 2030 Agenda as integrated frameworks for health promotion

3. Climate change, environment and Planetary Health

• Climate change, human-driven environmental change and extreme events
• Direct and indirect effects on health
• Changes in the distribution of vectors and communicable diseases
• Effects on food systems and nutritional security
• Planetary Health and the integration of human, animal and environmental health

4. Exposome, epigenetics, nutrition and life-course trajectories

• The exposome and cumulative exposure
• Interactions between environment, nutrition and health
• Life-course trajectories, windows of susceptibility and epigenetic inheritance
• Maternal-foetal exposure and health during pregnancy
• Nutritional epigenetics
• Risk-benefit assessment in the food and nutrition context

5. Biological hazards and communicable diseases

• Classification of biological agents
• Main routes of transmission of infectious diseases
• Epidemiology of communicable diseases
• Prophylaxis and prevention measures at individual and population level
• Vaccination and control strategies

6. Chemical hazards from environmental and food exposure

• Environmental exposures and chronic degenerative diseases
• Food contaminants: mycotoxins, pesticides, additives and other contaminants of public health concern
• Pollutants in environmental matrices, with particular reference to air and water
• Endocrine disruptors and emerging contaminants

Readings/Bibliography

Paolo Bonanni, Guglielmo Bonaccorsi, Gavino Maciocco - Manuale di igiene e sanità pubblica Carocci Editore Maggio 2021

Walter Ricciardi, Stefania Boccia - Igiene - Medicina preventiva - Sanità pubblica, Idelsongnocchi editore Edizione III 2021

Materiale fornito dalla docente (slide, articoli scientifici, linee guida istituzionali).

Documenti e siti istituzionali: ISS, ECDC, WHO, EFSA, Ministero della Salute.

Teaching methods

Lectures with multimedia presentations, integrated with guided discussions, case studies, and real-world examples. The contents are presented in an integrated format, covering both curricular paths, with targeted examples highlighting the specificities of the biosanitary and nutritional profiles.

Assessment methods

The final assessment consists of a structured written exam, including multiple choice, true/false, and matching questions. The exam aims to verify the student's understanding of the theoretical concepts of public health, epidemiology, and prevention, as well as their ability to apply this knowledge in contexts relevant to their chosen curriculum (biosanitary or nutritional). The exam is the same for all students and is evaluated objectively.

 

Teaching tools

PowerPoint presentations, teaching materials provided via the Virtuale platform, scientific documents, videos, and infographics. Multimedia tools and interactive resources (e.g., Mentimeter) will be used where possible to enhance student engagement.

Office hours

See the website of Annamaria Colacci